Mets general manager Omar Minaya announced a little while ago that they have dismissed vice president of player development Tony Bernazard.
He had been in the role since 1994 but had been the center of controversy lately after he allegedly ripped his shirt off and challenged members of the Binghamton Mets to a fight. He also has had words with closer Francisco Rodriguez.
Many still suspect that Bernazard was a major factor in the firings of Willie Randolph and Rick Peterson. Talk radio hosts and fans alike had been calling for his resignation.
What do you think about the firing of Bernazard? Did he deserve it?
Visit the jump to read Minaya’s statement, thanks to Mets.com:
A MESSAGE FROM METS GENERAL MANAGER OMAR MINAYA
I wanted for you to hear directly from me today regarding an update on the investigation of Tony Bernazard, our Vice President of Player Development.
Prior to a series of articles published in the media, our Baseball Operations and Human Resources departments had begun looking into several matters involving Tony. Once those reports became public, we accelerated our investigation. We wanted it to be thorough and complete it as quickly as possible while still being fair to Tony. That process concluded over the weekend.
Yesterday, I met with Tony in person to have a frank conversation about what we had learned following interviews with numerous people. I also wanted for Tony to have the opportunity to give his side of the story.
After meeting with Tony, and giving a lot of thought to the facts, I came to a decision on Tony’s status which I shared with Ownership last night. My recommendation was that we needed to part ways with Tony, as his behavior in his interaction with others was inconsistent with our organization’s values. Ownership agreed with my assessment and accepted my recommendation.
I spoke with Tony this morning and informed him of my decision to terminate his employment with the Mets.
Personnel decisions are never easy. And one can’t make them without giving it a lot of thought. It’s even harder when you know someone as I do Tony. Tony and I go back a long time. He is a dedicated baseball man who loves the game, someone I like and respect, and someone who has contributed to the Mets. In the end, however, I just told him I couldn’t leave him in his position after all that had transpired.
As General Manager of the Mets, I am fully accountable for our Baseball Operations department—on and off the field—and stand by this decision.
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Mets.
Omar Minaya
